5. Nick
Williams, OF, Bats Left/Throws Left, Ball HS, Galveston, TX - Lefthanded hitters who combine speed and
power are as unique as an apology at a Bud Selig press conference. Williams'
quickness and strong arm make him an ideal fit for any of the three outfield
spots. He sparkled on the showcase circuit in 2011, blasting mammoth drives
during home run contests. Home run derbies are not games, of course, and
Williams must ditch his severe upper cut showcase hack and revert to his
natural, near level "on plane" swing. Williams has been bothered by a
hand injury this spring. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/highschool/02/13/baseball.top.10.prospects/index.html#ixzz1mJYi8Rky
NC State JR 3B Danny
Canela - Canela is the best of the conference’s weakest 2012 draft
position. 2013 is a different story with Colin Moran (North Carolina), Chase
Butler (Georgia Tech), Tyler Palmer (Miami), and Chad Pinder (Virginia Tech)
all positioned to be early round picks. Canela’s strong arm allows him to play
a little deeper than others at the hot corner, enabling him to increase his
so-so range. To his credit, he makes all the plays on balls hit to him.
Offensively, he’s got good strength, solid bat speed, and a decent amount of
patience. A creative team might try to maximize his value by trying him as a
3B/1B/C hybrid professionally http://baseballdraftreport.com/
1. Stryker
Trahan, Acadiana (Lafayette, La.)
Trahan possesses good arm strength, quick feet and a consistent swing
that produces above-average power from the left side of the plate. He's strong
and sturdy, suggesting he can physically handle catching long term, but he also
runs well, posting times from home to first in the low four-second range. He's
committed to Ole Miss, but the 6-foot-1, 215-pounder has a chance to be taken
off the board among the top 20 picks and is among the better high school
catching prospects over the past five years. http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/baseball/post/_/id/1148/stryker-trahan-is-nation%E2%80%99s-best-backstop
Jose
De Leon, RHP, Southern-
A sophomore and eligible in 2013, De Leon’s fastball was reported to be
mid 90′s, but it was 90-92 on the day.
He relied very heavily on his fastball and had problems with his
control, hitting 3 batters on the day and walking 2 in 3.2 innings. http://mlbdraftguide.com/
Branden Kline:
6-20-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series#/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series/page/2 - The Cavaliers should take a hit next year after losing Danny Hultzen and Tyler Wilson, but they should be bolstered by the addition of RHP Branden Kline to the rotation. Kline, a 2009 sixth-round draft pick by the Red Sox, has pitched the last two years out of the bullpen, saving a combined 20 games. This year he has posted a 49:18 K:BB ratio and a 2.15 ERA in 30 contests. Kline has good size (6'3", 190) and is a former Louisville Slugger Maryland State Player of the Year. He throws in the low-to-mid 90s and complements his fastball with a curveball and a slider. He has already proven himself as a reliever, and with the Hultzen and Wilson departing, along with Will Roberts and Cody Winiarski, Kline might finally get his shot as a starter.
Danny Canela:
6-23-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com/ - North Carolina State SO 3B Danny Canela
.267/.349/.443 – 17 BB/26 K – 131 AB - This may be a little bit of a cheat seeing how Canela’s likeliest defensive home at the next level is probably behind the plate, but a little bit of creative licensing gets him the job at the hot corner on our list. He is probably talented enough to play at least average defense at either position, but his, shall we say, “compact” 5-10, 230 pound frame gives him the look of a future pro backstop. Canela’s signature tool is probably his raw arm strength – no surprise considering his two defensive positions – but his quick bat and power upside are nearly as appealing positives.
Austin Maddox:
6-20-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series#/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series/page/3 - There’s also C/INF Austin Maddox, who exploded onto the scene as a freshman, hitting .333 with 17 home runs and 72 RBI in 2010. Maddox turned down a 37th-round offer from the Rays to attend UF, and despite suffering through a tough season (.280, 6 HR, 35 RBI) should be one of the top corner infielders available in 2012.
Brady Rodgers:
6-25-11: - http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2011/06/25/usa-baseball-sweeps-doubleheader-on-friday - Brady Rodgers (Arizona State) scattered three hits over six innings and the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team opened its slate with a 7-0 victory over Keene Friday morning at Martha Pappas Field. Rodgers allowed consecutive no-out singles in the second inning, but settled down to retire the next seven batters before allowing a one-out single in the fourth. However, he induced the next batter into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. The righty, making his Team USA debut, ended the game with 68 pitches, of which 50 went for strikes. He picked up the win after striking out two and is 1-0.
Brandon Wood:
6-20-11: - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series#/articles/740905-omaha-eye-openers-2012-mlb-draft-prospects-at-the-2011-college-world-series/page/7 - OF Brandon Wood had a tough year with the new bats, hitting only .259 with one home run. Given another year, the talented athlete who played football for three years in high school, should adjust and become a late-round talent.
